Dog Photo Competition 3 2012 : Results

Competition Winner : First Prize
$891.60

Judges Comment
this is a shot that bears viewing a few times. its simplicity in both backdrop and tonality might make some pass it by, but there is so much going on with the light, not to mention a lovely energy captured in the dog. look at the glow that brims the outline of the sofa arm, and the stunning glow that surrounds the dogs head ... just an absolutely beautiful black-and-white conversion and an instant fave. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Wow, thank you so much! I am honored. My name is Karin Newstrom and am based in Minneapolis, MN. I took this image with a Nikon D700 and 24-70 2.8 lens. The light was dreamy in this room which was stylish, yet neutral enough to provide the perfect canvas for the subject. The dog wasn't normally allowed on the furniture, which I think added to her excited pose. Thank you again and congratulations to everyone!
www.karinnewstrom.com

Competition Winner : Second Prize

Judges Comment
beautiful, beautiful tones! and as i start to leave comments on this image, i should note that whenever i leave comments, the image is reduced to a thumbnail above... THIS is when i can see the true strength of an image -- when able to view it in its essence. here the lines of the railway tracks receding and sweeping to the left, moving into the arch to the right of the light between the trees is truly stunning. i do wish the dog was just a wee bit to the left (not necessarily center, of course) ... i find that there is an odd tension created where the line of her neck meets the top of the rail line. but otherwise, this image bristles with such a rich variety of textures and tones that keep inviting you back to see more and more. beautifully done, and deserving of a big enlargement! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Wow! We are thrilled to have won second place among such an amazing group of photographs and photographers! Cocoa is our mighty miracle dog - most could not have survived the health problems she overcame during the first 6 weeks of her life. Maybe that's why she lives life now with such open-hearted exuberance! Taken with a Canon 7D and wide angle lens, post-processed in Lightroom to bring out the tones, textures, and sky.

Competition Winner : Third Prize

Judges Comment
i love this shot in so many ways ... the creamy bokeh, the dreamy tones, the sweet expression, the sweep of the tail, the wet scruffy coat that i SWEAR i can smell from here. an absolutely wonderful image. well done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thanks for acknowledging my photo for third place in this competition, I'm wrapped! I'm Erin from www.erinking.com.au based in Melbourne, AU and I'm a photographer of people and pets. This is Zuri the Maltalier shot at Port Melbourne Beach. Zuri absolutely LOVES the beach and spent the whole time racing around in and out of the water, she is a little crazy this one, but this was one of the moments when she stopped to just take everything in. Shot on Nikon D700. Thanks again.

Competition Winner : Fourth Prize

Judges Comment
thank you for offering this image in a larger size ... it simply MUST be viewed in its fullness. absolutely gorgeous. of course, that's not saying that it isn't a strong image that holds its strength viewed even in a tiny thumbnail -- it's gorgeous any way! beautiful tones and light, great shadow and depth of field, and i love those spread toes across the sand. well done! an instant fave. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
My name is Elke Vogelsang and you find my work under http://www.wieselblitz.de. This was shot on a beach in Denmark. I called this shot "the beach guard". She was kind of wandering around while I took some shots of seaweed and sand. When I looked up she strolled towards me. It was shot with a Canon EOS 7D. Thank you so much for choosing my picture. I'm honored.
www.wieselblitz.de

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
love, love, love. so many people try silhouettes, and there are a lot of good ones out there, but only a handful of truly great ones. THIS is one of those truly great ones ... simple, yet incredibly well executed ... from colors and exposure to the exquisite framing. it views stunningly small or large, which is the true test of an image's strength. bravo! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
beautiful beautiful beautiful. great tonality and curves, lovely light and white balance. control. this image has strong lines which work well even when viewed small, which is the true test of an image. love how the warm amber of the grey's eye and his/her soft expression captures the viewer's attention. a definite fave. well done! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
oh man, i love this. i love the muted tones and the almost high-key nature of this image. the framing is lovely, and the minimalism of the scenery and the surrounding ripples brings the focus on the dog and even on the two bubbles floating in his reflection. i wish there was a little more sharpness in the dog's face, but i realize it may have been lost to motion blur as the dog is about to shake. beautiful image. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
This is my baby girl, Kerouac, in our favorite place... the only place where she can run off leash without fences reminding her that she is not always free to really run. It is a place where the mouth of the Skagit River meets the salty waters of the ocean. As a professional photographer, this is a moment I live for. With dogs, it is only ever just a moment, for they are always gone and onto the next thing before you know it.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
this is an extremely unique and memorable shot. i'm not sure why i think of third-world and desolation, and then the expression of the dog looking back at the observer seems to add to the uneasiness of the entire scene. i'm not sure whether this was the intention behind the image, but it certainly makes this a memorable one. well done! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
stellar shot. love the choice to keep the tones on the cooler side, in-keeping with the season. great location and setting. nicely captured. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Wow…so many amazing images! Congrats, everyone! I am very grateful to Illona & the I-Shot-It judges for the lovely comments & Mark of Excellence award, but may all of the glory go to God for this blessing! This is our Lab, Zoey, captured with my Nikon D700 when the world outdoors was like a winter wonderland. It’s part of my “In The Mist” series; processed in LR 3 & PS. I’m not sure who had more fun that day…me or the dog! ~ Lesley Bailey, Manitoba, Canada.
www.happytailspetphotography.com

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
this is an awesome image. love the framing, the tilt, the crop, and the mirrored stride of the two greys. i'd like to see the post work on this image turned up just a wee bit (but not unnaturally!) ... when i look at your other entry with the two greys, you have more contrast and tonality there, and with that, more depth. i'd love to see that same depth and more play of shadow in this image. and perhaps a warmer glow brought in from top right ... some element with a warmer tone (like you have the grey's eye in your other entry). you have the hint of some yellow graffiti top center; it's unfortunate there's not a little splash somewhere in-frame ... but i know what it's like capturing an image like this; you can't exactly plan your backdrops and pose your clients! :) this is an awesome image though ... these are ONLY suggestions! well captured, and well shot. thanks for sharing. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
nicely done! this is an awesome action shot ... it's not that there's anything unusual here as far as composition or artistic value -- compositionally it is strong, and as far as action, it is relatively dynamic ... but the vividness of color, the management of white balance and tonality, sharpness and curves, is perfect. an absolute pleasure to view! well done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thanks for the mark of excellence and the lovely comments, and congratulations to all the other winners. This is a photo of Jaffa, a Brittany I bred who belongs to friends. I really love this photo of him because his face and his body language shows his happy nature. Photo taken by Helen Green, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
everything about this image is wonderful ... the depth of field, tones and colors, and, of course, pup's wonderful, relaxed expression and sprawled out pose. well done! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
beautifully seen and captured! an absolute masterpiece of light. the back glow on the weeds and the outline of the puppy are simply gorgeous. i would suggest boosting your contrast a little on the fill light you've applied to the back-lit pup so that it retains a natural appearance, especially given the strong shadow cast by the pup and how dark in shadow the owner remains in. compositionally, it works beautifully with the natural vignetting and inner glow ... but to make it look a little more natural and less manipulated, i'm wondering if some added contrast would help. otherwise, this is an absolutely lovely image, and an instant fave. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
This photo is special to me, this simply heavenly light came out of no where at the end of our session so I quickly grabbed my camera out of the bag and this is what I got. Sadly not long after this image was taken the puppy passed away, I look at this image and think that one day this will be how they see each other again as if a day hasn't passed by. by Diane Lewis Photography Raleigh, NC

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
i'm not sure exactly what it is about this image that i like so much. it's a strong image as far as composition -- the rich textures of the rocks leading the way to the arched shape of the scruffy dog, the dramatic sky, and the tree framing in the image on the right. very nicely done. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
i love this so many ways ... from the beautiful colors and tones, the fabulous depth of field, the wonderful curve of the tail, and most of all the sly expression on this little model. beautifully captured and managed in post. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
great shot. the composition draws us right in to the husky on the tracks. beautifully framed and captured. well done. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
beautifully captured. lovely use of a shallow dof in an action image, and well framed. the tones in this image are absolutely delicious. nicely done! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
This was taken at the "dog park" in Fort Macleod, AB. The park is not very developed (or busy) and you end up walking along deer paths through the shrubbery. This path takes us along a farmer's fence that borders one side of the park. The dogs love to run ahead and explore and then come running back to check on me. This photo of Coulee was taken with a Canon 7D with a 70-200 lens last fall. Thanks so much for the "Mark of Excellence"!

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
awesome shot. great composition and tones. love the minimalism of the snowy backdrop, and this dog's intense stare. well done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
This was taken in Winter of 2011 when Augie was just a year and a half, and her coat had reached full winter thickness. During playtime in the snow, I noticed how intently she was watching me gathering the ball and thought she looked pretty wild/intense watching me, and if she had been any bigger than the 25 pounds she is she could be pretty intimidating. I shot this with a 50mm 1.4 (at ƒ/2.8) down at her eye level, and adjusted the levels and white balance in Lightroom.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
"Laaaaaa!!!" i love this shot. awesome and fun capture. great color management and depth of field control well done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thanks for the mark of excellence award and the lovely critique. I laughed as soon as I saw this photo too. I took it in my back yard and did the cutesy photo as well, but couldn't go past the humour in this one. Photo taken by Helen Green, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
little dog on a mighty mission! great composition, color and white balance control, and lovely light. well see and captured! a definite fave. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
now THAT'S a smile well captured and a great crop to accentuate the essence of a happy dog. nicely done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thanks so much Ilona and I SHOT IT ~ so honored to be in this gallery with so many amazing photographers. My name is Kelly Beal of KellyBealPhotography.com. I shot this at a local dog rescue where i volunteer, using a Canon 5D MKII and the 35L 1.4. Dogs rule.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
gorgeous! the simplicity of tone and composition is wonderful. great management of light, and beautiful colors. well done! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
beautiful light and tones. i love seeing the dog practically embedded in his environment, surrounded by these gorgeous flowers and this stunning light. well done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
This is AOM CH Woodags Milton Away PT CGC. He is my old retired Australian Cattle Dog show dog. Milton has been with me since the day he was born. He is now 14. The wild flowers are in the ditch by our house. I think some of the weeds were poking him in the gut, thus the crooked "smile!" This was shot with my Nikon D700 at about 7:00 pm using my Nikon 60mm micro lens. Thanks for looking! Kris Bumsted

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
a beautiful portrait. the cool tones are stunning, and that cool gaze to match mesmerizes the viewer. i wish this image had been presented a little larger since it's those penetrating eyes -- made even more startling with the soft bokeh -- which are the key feature of this image. nicely done. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thanks for the acknowledgement of my image. I'm Erin from www.erinking.com.au based in Melbourne, a photographer of people and pets. This is an Australian Koolie, definitely a very cool, calm and collected dog, having been well trained for obedience and agility. I just love her unique colourings and coat and think this photo showcases this as well as her intense concentration. She is a beautiful dog. Taken with a Canon 5DMII, 70-200mm 2.8 lens.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
awesome panning and action blur. the shadow and the crop totally make it. bravo! ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
i wish this image was a little larger so i could make out what is going on here ... but what i can see clearly is apparently pride and confidence in this little dog's step. super cute. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Kelly Beal of KellyBealPhotography.com. Another little cutie strutting her stuff at a local dog rescue where i volunteer. Canon 5D MKII and the 70-200 F4 IS. Congrats to the winner, Karen your work is wonderful. Dogs rule.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
great shot. love the receding lines of trees and the dog's almost somber expression reflecting the tones and weather. well seen and shot. ~ illona

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
love the mood and framing of this photo. beautifully captured and wonderful tonal conversion. well done! ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you for the Mark of excellence, it is highly appreciated considering how many outstanding pictures were in the contest! My friend and I went walking in the Welsh Valleys with her border collie, Poppy. She is a very photogenic pooch so I took lots of portrait shots of her but this must be my favourite photo due to the beautiful scenery. She posed perfectly for the shot :) It was taken with by back-up camera, a Canon 450D with a 24 - 105mm f4 L lens. Settings - 47mm, 1/200, f5, 400ISO. With it's original colours the photo looked bland and lifeless. I used duo-tone so that the details of the trees became more prominent and I increased the contrast, making Poppy 'pop' out of the image.

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
very fun image. i'm not sure i want to know what happened next. :) well captured. ~ illona
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much for the Mark of Excellence. I was taking pictures of my friend's Bernese Mountain Dog puppy Tobie when he noticed the family cat. He was very curious and wanted to get close, but he was also timid. He couldn't resist, though, and chased the cat under the car where she stayed until he lost interest. This photo was taken with a Canon 5D MarkII with a 70-200mm lens at f/2.8. Gayle

Mark Of Excellence

Judges Comment
stunning light and tones. the placement of your subject is splendid, with the few branches in the foreground really placing the dog in his environment. great framing. well done. ~ illona.
Photographers Comment
Thank you so much for choosing my photo for "Mark of Excellence"! I am so thrilled! Congratulations to all the winners and those who are awarded "Mark of Excellence". My name is Sachiko Eubanks. I live in Geneva, Illinois. I took this photo when my dogs and I were enjoying the time together in our backyard on a beautiful spring evening. The dog in the photo is Toby, my rescued dog, watching geese fly. Canon 60D, 50mm F/1.8, 1/1000, ISO400. Post processed in LR4.